AngelModder

WOW, So I just realized this topics had over 2000 views. Really shocking for only about a month of being up for me. I just want to take a moment and thank each of you who is paying attention to this post! You really inspire me to keep going! Oh and my gf hates you for that XD! LOL... Nah but you are why I do this. JH1-2 and JK3 have been in a odd way a safe spot and a home for me and probably others. A place to escape and just let our imaginations dump... Any who, I hope in the next week to really start showing you guys some new touch ups. It's a slow process switching some of the lighting over, changes in textures or just some times texture quality.

I've always been into focusing on the scale of textures from a 1rst person pov so not only am I trying to bring in higher res textures but scaling them every where after the initial build and texturing takes some bloody time XD! I wasn't really crying or w/e Q_Q over my prior maps. But meh I'm sure other mappers can relate... XD we like seeing people enjoy them! Trying to find the secrets or w/e months and months of work and that is our joy XD! In this maps case years of work off and on. But this is the final push!

So the plug in idea totally works, when the map is released there will be an additional .pk3 in the Zip/Rar file that you can drop in your base the will turn on reflections and may include a few other changes.

The main .pk3 is named Jedi_Home_III_Temple_Edition.pk3 the plug in Z_Jedi_Home_III_Temple_Edition_HD_Plugin.pk3. Works like a charm since the engine reads Z first and A last, the shader in the Z version reads while the other is forgotten.

I am not quite a fan of some architecture designs from the prequels, but I can't hide I like how this map turns out so far. Would you consider in future to make something more like the empire style, maybe Death Star or something in those lines.

It would depend on what it is exactly. Imperial style is nice and sleek. I feel most people shoot to high and hence there projects are never finished. Most people try for large sections of the Death Star(s) or a Star Destroyers. While it's quiet possible to design large maps of those said thing's as we've seen in the past, you have to pick your battles carefully. Deciding what parts to do and what the overall goal is in the design. Most maps really only need 3-4 good dueling area's, some thing close to the spawn points and that's it.

Unless you're a member of the RP communities maps like mine usually go unused or even unknown to the public. <--- Makes me a little sad some time's considering the amount of effort put into those maps.Though that's neither here nor there. I suppose the main point would be that like Jh3, it needs to be a design and layout that draws folks in.

So yes, I would LOVE to, problem is choosing a design and layout that would be attractive and yet suitable for common gameplay.

I originally was using this for it... 

Does caulk nonsolid generate VIS data the same way solid caulk brushes do? At least it doesn't have to generate unnecessary collision then.

 

Map looks amazing!

I dont know if it blocks VIS if its part of a structural brush, let me test that after I run my maps compile and get back to you on that, I'll Pm you the answer. If not a good use of antiportal would solve that if it was what one was aiming for. As a rule of thumb I only make my detail brushes nonsolids. As you said it saves the engine time and space and in the end you FPS and load times.

Langerd may seem harsh, but he is very correct. We all know it's hard to read this sort of stuff, as a mapper it hurts our pride a little bit when we realize we fall short of our goals. I'm sure Langerd agrees with me, just ask for help, or ask myself Langerd or others about the stuff that confuses you. Not every one can read a tut or watch a video and understand. Besides you can't ask a tut or vid questions about specific scenarios. XD

Point is, good first attempt at mustafar! However try again. Look at the entire set up in the movies, really figure out what matters most. Box build the general layout, worry about terrain and the sky box later. the main facility and the collection arm is what people will be mostly interacting with. So figure out it's layout and how to vis it correctly.

TIP, any thing that is not your main floors walls and or ceiling should be a detail brush XD Basically pretend each room is a box, the box should be structural, everything inside of it is just details.

FYI moment, the reason I've often been using the Archives of JH3 as an example and or showing it off the most is not that it's important to you or even to the map on the overall experience, but rather I'm evil I prefer to hold back the really good stuff for release. <--- Sounded dirty.
As well the Archives is the testing ground and development point for many of this maps assets textures/shaders at this point.

The main core of the map is fully built, it's just detailing and fine tuning the assets as I described above. Anoek (my gf also my mapping student) is working on the events and training center of the map. While I focus on what is the Jedi Home.  Secret area's will come last. I prefer to work my secret area's into the details and around the map rather then sacrifice the map overall for one thing.

LOL... Nah Simpler and much more efficient then that. But you're on the right idea of thought. One thing I've learned with this engine the more you can do rather then it having to do it, the better. An example is the wonders of clipping your brush work your self and setting your textures to non-solid and using caulk non solid. Saves about 1/4 of .BSP space, faster compiles, better FPS in larger maps. Shadowing as well, if you notice the pillars are casting nice sharp shadows on the ground, again I'm thinking for the engine and doing it's work to not only save bsp space and time but for a better overall looking product. Every where I can cut out the engines work is some where else where I can have it go balls to the wall. But that's neither here nor there.
Any ways what I do in cases like this is go under the map and take a series of screenshots, line them up in photoshop, then filter them etc and set them as alpha layer in the shader. It's a bit more of a pain in the ass with larger rooms like this but manageable.

Can you fake a reflection with an env map that uses a picture of the ceiling/walls? It wouldn't look as good as the actual mirror shader, but it shouldn't hurt the fps as much.

Sadly Env maps just dont work well on the Z axis, what you see in the last picture is an example of that, usually you need to get to an elevated spot to see the env for what it's worth. It does work pretty good on say the chrome pillars if you create a panoramic env. 

That said sitting here I do have an idea that may create a more ambient fake reflection/bloom effect even.

So just ran a test on the server with full graphics. I love this reflective floor but FOOOOk it hurts FPS! So here are my options I am throwing out to you (the people I'm making this for). A I can just completely remove it from the archives and it will just be a shiney floor as seen in the images below. OR Theirs another slightly cooler option I can do. See the entity we use in gtk to tell a specific surface to reflect in conjunction with a shader can be left in the said room and it wont hurt it at all. So via a patch you could download optionally we you download the map you could choose if you want the reflective floors or not in the RP area's. A small pk3 with just a few changes in the shader file that overwrite my original's and would allow this to be completely client based optional.

Without reflection.

Scroll to the post just above this one if you wish to see the room WITH reflective flooring.

Small update -  Here is a sneak peak of some of the new effects and textures starting to come together in the map's Archive.

Next two thing's I'll be changing in this area will be the chandeliers structure/texture  (they'll be the same overall size and concept these were idea placeholders) Then to replace the ugly texture used in almost every map that has an archvie on the archive shelves themselves. Going to have to make that one from scratch as well! XD

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijcgt/2016/5182768/ The kind of mind warping crap I read to design O-o....

This looks good already because I don't see any of those DAM default orange and browns associated with sunsets...omg. I would like to see you open your .map file in notepad and replace all bespin_wall textures with another grey or lighter blue color just to see what you can come up with. So yea... you mentioned secret areas. Put more actions into your level please. I tend to make secret areas accessible through a func_breakable wall or a force_push/pull door.

I like the idea of making the secret area's a little more story/action driven. I'm really hoping that a few of them atleast will make you feel a bit like you're playing a small sp level. Secret area's will come after the map's full primary build is finalized and tested. Best not to put the horse before the carriage.

I do apologize for not getting up some new pics last night. My gf was having computer problems and this shader lighting takes a bit of work to get just right. XD

A small update -  I will be posting some pictures late late tonight (I live in the Netherlands FYI) so 5-6 hours from now before I do that sleep thing. XD Been working my ass off getting the section I last posted pictures of more fine tuned. Finally managed to figure out how to get the dang 64 bit Q3Map2 working. As I finally have use of that I will be overhauling a lot of the maps lighting. Switching from light entities to shaders will be a super fun job HAHA. This also should be taken into consideration as you look at the photo's. I've yet to do any bloom effects, false shadows, enforced normal mapping, lightmap sharpness control & environmental shader blending.

At the moment I am running a FULL compile to get a grasp of a before and after. The first thing to get changed will be the sky lighting. Atm it's using a entity sun. I'll be changing it out for the most up to date sky shader and begin really playing with how things look. So I'll post up a before and after of that tonight as well.

By the way how does every one feel about the original Jedi's Home music, I originally built the map using Lando's theme from Empire strikes back. But recently switched over to the original 1 and 2's theme song.

Alright so as many of you know I'm currently working on Jedi's Home 3. The project is going great so far, however I know I can go further if I can get the right advice. My own teacher Darth G has been gone for many years and there were many things at the time I didn't know, still don't understand, and despite my research just can't find the right answers, advice, tutorial's for; involving vis, prt files, setting up some of the newer tools like the 64 bit compiler etc.

To describe my scenario a bit, I'm currently running a 64 bit system I've downloaded the new gtk, the micro visuals you need etc, installed everything to the best of my knowledge and yet there just still some oddities I cant get working correctly.
For instance no matter what compiler (q3map2) I use, it ends up using only at max 4 gigs of my ram, I have 12 damn it XD I want to use it and stop dreading such a short sighted limit. So I could really use advice/guidance setting this new gen shit up and getting it working correctly etc. Hell I've used gtk 1.5 for years now, and 1.6 looks sexy, but it wont function right for some reason. An example being it's correctly pointed at my gamedata folder, yet for some reason keeps making a duplicate base inside my base and wont load textures etc. XD WTF!!!!!!!!

As far as vis, I'm not exactly an idiot, I know how to correctly build a map using 45's, caulk, areaportal, hallways, areaportals, antiportals detailing/structural. But theirs still some I don't understand, for instance hint, never could get it to work right XD, prt files what exactly am I seeing here??? How do I understand this in a way my retarded ass can comprehend and use it to my advantage.
I pride myself on how clean my .map files are and my use of the correct methods as best I know, but I am LIMITED by what I don't know or understand.

To sum it up, I need a new teacher for some of the things that tutorials just arnt making sense to me on, and to help me maximize my capabilities via my computer's potential... Preferably some one who can voice chat, skype, ts, discord, fb chat some sort of voice com where I can really ask what I want or need to know clearly. Where examples can be easily swapped and explained. XD

Embarrassing as it is, I need to know more and tut's just don't help this A.D.D. old guy XD HAHA

It looks amazing, you're a truly talented individual Angel! Keep it up.

Thanks, just too many years doing this and too much sacrificed XD... LOL

I can't say any thing about where this is going to go BUT here is Republic Hanger A-93 connecting to Republic Hanger N-87. This is connecting to area's that will set this map apart from many and make it more useful then most could ever imagine a map being.

PLEASE NOTE  this area is VERY new, literally I spent more time on the technical details of the trains them selves rather then the area's construction. LOL It will be MUCH prettier later on.

Ok so time to reach out the public, show me some pics, concepts or share idea's for what sort of secret area's you would like to see. The original(s) had very dream like out there and unique designs for it's secret area's. Low poly though unique in design and meant for a challenging duel.

Tell me what YOU the public would like to see, pics, drawings, w/e helps get the idea across.

Hope to hear from many of you on this!

I was actually just thinking the other day I'd love a model of this guy for jka! Was any one else a little disappointed by season 3? XD

Maps really growing now... XD!

Hmm see some thing familiar out that window there!

Theirs a lot more to this then what I'm showing in these pictures, and still a lot to adjust in these area's. However these should make some of you feel a little more at home!

Yep, they'll be in the courtyard. I always liked that my self.

here is a few more shots, This is a re conception of the main entrance chamber. in the original you came in and it was all "Welcome home Jedi" and had the cantina up above. In this one as we're sticking a little more to an authentic jedi image it has a sweeping stair case that leads up to the student cafe you can also go through the cafe and go into the main lobby. The entrance beneath the sweeping stairs leads into like the original an antech chamber with elevators taking the students down to there classrooms etc.

A quick note on the overall concept, this map is While tipping it's hat to JH3 as far as overall theme and name sake, does tip it's hat also to a more gounded realistic jedi academy as well as the original's location. to sum it up it's the rend2 to vanilla of JH... XD

Lighting and such is not final etc etc you know the drill. LOL

These hallways will contain doors on one side leading to a simple student bedroom section. Nothing fancy or fps/compile wasting just for a bit more Rp a tribute in a sense to the fantasy/roleplay of the original V1 Jh.

Hmm those are all good point's however. This map has had many peoples input from day one, all of which were greatly in love with the original Jh's. From moment one we knew we had to go above and beyond the original two while at the same time NOT killing FPS. We do have to take into consideration lower and pc's but also the capabilities of most pc's these days. I can assure you I have finely balanced this map. We use a 2 gig gpu for most of the buld however it has been tested on a 256 mb gpu and all the way up to a 8 gig gpu all have reported through the map an average of 60-90+ fps on server with bots and players. So please rest assure this wont kill your fps. Most look at places like the walls and see multiple layers for the different texturing. I choose to combined these into one texture. This being practiced in multiple area's along with false shadowing and bloom effects has done wonders for controlling the fps.

The new version is greatly different then the original 2 as far as aethetics go, however I'd point out the V2 was greatly different then V1. The same feeling's were felt about v2 over v1 during it's initial release and testing. Many felt v2 was too different in many ways and lacked the same imagination and creativity of the first and aimed more for realism. Most and the others overtime where won over by the V2 through immersion. I feel some opinion may be being a bit biased sdue to me NOT being Shadowstone. While I can respect this, SS admitted himself that he was only a novice at mapping and did so mostly as a hobby part time and it's lay out and area's were greatly for that of his clans needs. Not so much for the community at large. I would ask that you give it a chance. I can't see how even just on the premise of what it is that it will disappoint.

There will be more photo's coming soon, possibly tonight; I've been taking everything all of you have said into consideration and have been working the texturing and architecture more towards the original's. However you must acknowledge that the overall idea had to grow. While some may argue that the facility was NOT on bespin, I argue it was due to the fact it not only used it's skybox, but it used about 50% Bespin texture's aside from SS's personnel textures. As well SS himself stated in server that the original concept was a hidden Bespin facility. Whether this was his original intent OR one he excepted and adapted to over time who will ever know.
A few have also questioned the reasoning behind so many new area's in the map. V2 actually cut out a lot from v1 and had area's v1 didn't have, this is not only a combination of boths ideal's but and extension. Natural progression.
Any who here is a pic of the nearly finished main lobby. I still want to replace the statue's but that will more then likely be a last minute addition before release.

Thank you for your support!